Why We Can’t Wait Any Longer

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. — Isaiah 1:17

The Command We Can’t Ignore
Justice isn’t a suggestion. It’s not a bonus round for Christians with a heart for activism. It’s a command — direct from God, rooted in Scripture, and repeated across the prophets, the teachings of Jesus, and the life of the early Church.

And yet?

Much of the evangelical church has sidelined it — treating justice as political, optional, or someone else’s responsibility. The result? A Gospel that’s often thin on impact and detached from the real-world suffering Jesus cared deeply about.

“Justice isn’t political. It’s prophetic.”

Revival Without Justice is Hollow
The original Jesus Movement — messy, loud, imperfect as it was — got something profoundly right. It didn’t just awaken hearts to salvation; it awakened hands and feet to serve. It rushed toward the broken, the addicted, the lonely, the poor, and the outcast. Jesus Himself lived on the margins — and moved with power from there.

The Jesus Movement didn’t run from the margins. It ran toward them. We’re meant to do the same. Revival is more than emotion. It’s transformation. And if it doesn’t move us toward justice, it’s incomplete.

Justice Is the Gospel in Action
Isaiah 1:17 is built on verbs — action words for a reason:

• Learn to do good — because it’s not automatic.
• Seek justice — because it’s not always obvious.
• Help the oppressed — because silence helps the oppressor.
• Defend the vulnerable — because not everyone has a voice.
• Fight for the forgotten — because injustice fights hard to stay hidden.

“Justice isn’t an add-on to the Gospel. It’s the Gospel in motion.”

So, Who Needs Us Now?
Today’s “widows and orphans” are everywhere:

• Kids aging out of foster care with no safety net
• Families buried in medical debt
• Refugees navigating a foreign world with trauma in tow
• Inmates locked out of a second chance
• Single parents stretched beyond their limits
• Undocumented workers exploited without protection

They are all around us. If we claim to follow Jesus, we don’t get to look away.

“If we can’t see the oppressed, we aren’t looking hard enough.”

From Spectators to Participants
This isn’t a message for pastors or professionals. It’s for every believer. You don’t need a pulpit. You need courage. You don’t need a five-step plan. You need eyes wide open and hands ready.

The Church must move from spectators to participants in the restoration of dignity, protection, and peace. It won’t always be clean. It won’t always be safe. But it will always be worth it.

“You don’t need a platform. Just a heart that won’t settle for apathy.”

Time to Move
The Jesus Movement didn’t wait for perfect conditions. It answered the call of Christ with urgency and obedience. Now it’s our turn.

Ask yourself today — and keep asking: Where can I learn to do good?

• What justice do I need to seek?
• Who am I called to help?
• Whose cause should I defend?

Let’s be the Church that steps into hard places with the love of Jesus and the courage of Isaiah 1:17 in our bones.

No more watching. No more waiting.

 

Week 2 — Pawn in the Game

Prophetic Warning: Cultural Idols

Words and Music by John Fischer

Two hundred years ago

When our nation was starting to grow

Life, liberty, and happiness

Were the things we wanted to know

But happiness became the king

And took over everything

And in pursuing happiness

We lost the very thing that would make us blessed

We lost the Lord

No wonder we’re so bored

We’re just a pawn in the game

The West is not to be

In the book of prophecy

We sold our crown to the pleasure clown

For an inexpensive fee

And it isn’t very far

From a plastic credit card

To a number on your head before you can be fed a loaf of bread

Keep looking to the east

And watching for the beast

We’re just a pawn in the game

(What a shame)

Many years from now

I can hear them saying how

America came and America went

Turned under by the plow

While other nations stand

With orders in their hands

To turn the course of time under the force of the evil one’s command

We gave away the right

To be a nation of the light

Now we’re a pawn in the game

(What a shame)

Keep looking to the east

And watching for the beast

We’re just a pawn in the game

(What a shame)

And nobody can afford

To not be reaching for the Lord

We’re just a pawn in the game

We’re just a pawn in the game

(Pawn in the game what a shame)

(Pawn in the game what a shame)

(Pawn in the game what a shame)

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To the Catch Community,

We live in uncertain times. The prophet’s job is to remind God’s people: God is right on time. For the next 30 days, the Catch is running “Eyes Wide Open” — a daily call to watch, listen and act. Our “Eyes Wide Open” booklet in support of each day’s Catch article, including a short Scripture, a brief reflection and a practical step, is available here for download. Will you join us? CLICK HERE to download your booklet. Let’s be the Church that’s awake — not afraid, but ready.

Here’s is today’s entry. Don’t miss this opportunity to interact with the study.

Devotional:
Justice is not a trend—it’s a thread running through God’s heart. True religion cares for the vulnerable, not just with words, but with presence and power. Isaiah doesn’t call us to tweet about justice. He calls us to do it. Stand with those who have been overlooked. Protect the vulnerable. Be a sanctuary, not just a voice. This is prophetic discipleship: choosing solidarity over silence.

Prayer Prompt:
God, show me who needs my action, not just my sympathy.

Action Step:
Volunteer, donate, or commit to a sustained relationship with a caring organization or someone you know.

Don’t keep the work of John and Marti to yourself — get out your address book and invite others to subscribe to the daily Catch by going to catchjohnfischer.live and click on the envelope or sign up on facebook.com/thecatch.